Description: In a storm of reporting, hundreds of articles published online and in print over the past couple of days, have focused attention on a story that touched on issues both photographic and archival.
Description: [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Untitled, by Unidentified photographer, c. 1905, Smithsonian Institution Archives"][/caption] In keeping with our summer travel theme, I began to investigate some of the ways in which photographers were first able to travel with their cameras. To give a brief background, the invention of photography in 1839 coincided with
Description: [caption id="attachment_2114" align="aligncenter" width="240" caption="Flickr Photographer T-shirt with Flickr Badge, photo by Ritsa, from RobW_'s Flickr photostream."][/caption] Not only are photographs everywhere, but they’re on everything. And you, too, can contribute to the picture pile-up.
Description: [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="448" caption="Temperance Parade, Church of the Nazarene, Medora, Illinois, photographer unknown, real-photo postcard, 1908, Courtesy of Luc Sante, 2009."][/caption] One of the thrills of seeing—when you stop to pay attention to it—is how complex and quickly the process of looking and making sense of what we see happens. According to
Description: [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="326" caption="Taimi Toffer Anderson (1937- ), 1956, by Science Service, Black-and-white photograph, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Acc. 90-105 - Science Service, Records, 1920s-1970s, Local number: SIA Acc. 90-105 (SIA2010-0105)."][/caption] The wealth of interesting stories in the Science Service collection never ceases to surprise
Description: [caption id="attachment_1954" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Squirrel Kisses, by Flickr user (Alex)."][/caption] It’s summer, so time for a break from serious thoughts about photographs, their meaning and impact. Instead, let’s relax and have a laugh about the pictures that make us laugh. A recent article in the business section of Time magazine describes how Ben
Description: This National Preparedness Month, collections care professionals might consider joining their local Alliance for Response initiative to improve their organizations, practices, and programs.
Description: Get to know some Smithsonian staff, from their favorite holiday dishes to their dream celebrity dinner guests, through a former series in The Torch.
Description: [caption id="attachment_3071" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Spiral Galaxy Messier 81 (M81), 2003, Spitzer Space Telescope / IRAC, NASA / JPL-Caltech / S. Willner, Harvard-Smithsonian CfA"][/caption] You may in fact be, or just feel like, a big shot down here on earth. But, ever since airborne cameras started to photograph our little planet from above, and once they